Gloucester judge sets restrictions in manslaughter case

November 14, 2012|By Matt Sabo, msabo@dailypress.com | 757-247-7872

GLOUCESTER — A judge on Wednesday imposed driving restrictions and ordered drug and alcohol testing for an Ark man charged with involuntary manslaughter in a two-vehicle wreck on Oct. 27 that resulted in the death of a Gloucester man and left a teenage girl seriously injured.

Gloucester General District Court Judge Jeffrey Shaw allowed Jeremy Shane Hedrick, 40, to remain out of jail on a $10,000 bond, but told him to abstain from consuming alcohol or taking illegal drugs, including synthetic drugs such as Spice, Amped and bath salts. Shaw also imposed a curfew on Hedrick of 8 p.m. to 6 a.m. and ordered him to refrain from operating a motor vehicle.

Hedrick was freed on bond less than four hours after his arrest on Nov. 2 in connection with the death of Donald Troy Durham, who died on Oct. 29 of injuries he suffered when Hedrick rammed his vehicle on Route 17. Virginia State Police say Hedrick was under the influence of alcohol and had cocaine, opiates and marijuana in his system at the time of the Oct. 27 wreck.

Commonwealth's Attorney Holly Smith requested the bond hearing because the only previous restrictions placed on Hedrick were that he not leave the state and be of good behavior. Smith said Hedrick had a number of previous driving offense convictions for speeding, an erratic lane change and reckless driving that caused a wreck.

Hedrick had told emergency responders and law enforcement officers after the wreck that he had smoked marijuana and Spice the previous night and had consumed alcohol, Smith said. Durham's teenage daughter is struggling to sit up, walk and care for herself, she said.

"Her recovery is at this point best put as unknown," Smith said.

She asked Shaw to revoke Hedrick's bond, saying she is concerned about the safety of the community.

"I don't think he can do anything else to this family, bless their hearts," she said.

Hedrick appeared in court with his attorney, Mike Soberick, who said Herdrick's blood alcohol level was 0.007 after the wreck. That is well below the levol of 0.08 at which a person is considered to be driving drunk.

If Hedrick had substances in his system, but they didn't impair him, a criminal charge doesn't rise to the level of manslaughter, Soberick said.

After setting the conditions of Hedrick's release, Shaw set a hearing for Hedrick on Jan. 31, 2013.